Great Aunt Louise's

Family Inspired Foods

So many warm memories from our Italian kitchen to yours!

Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto!

(Eat Well, Laugh Often, Love Much)

Family Favorites from Piedmont

BAGNA CAUDA, (BAH/nyah COW/dah) Piedmontese: meaning “hot dip”. The dish is eaten by dipping raw, boiled or roasted vegetables, especially cardoon, carrot, peppers, fennel, celery, cauliflower, artichokes, and onions. It is traditionally eaten during the autumn and winter months and must be served hot, as the name suggests. It was served in a large pan for communal sharing. Great with pasta too!

ANTIPASTO, signifies the official beginning of the Italian meal. Bite size portions served on a platter from which everyone serves themselves. The purpose of antipasto is to stimulate the appetite. Add it to a charcuterie and make a meal out of it too. Once you start, you won’t want to stop!

BAGNETTO, a wonderful parsley condiment that was originally used with the Bollisto Misto (Italian Boiled Meat Dinner). Try it on all your meats, poultry and seafood. But also good on potatoes, sandwiches and even just on crostinis!

Be creative and send photos of your dishes to share on our blog page. It will be fun/sarà divertente!

BUON GUSTO!

My Grandparents Antonio and Rosa

The Family Farm

Our Story

La Nostra Storia

It was an unlikely event ….. a car driving through the country broke down in front of the family farm. The dashing young man who had recently immigrated to the US was helped by the Italian family who owned the farm. He took one look at the farmer’s daughter and fell in love. These two young Italian immigrants were my Grandparents Antonio Birocco and Rosa Enrieu. Great Aunt Louise was my grandmother’s sister along with 5 other siblings.

The two married and raised a family comprised of a son (my father) and three daughters.

Family picnics and bocce ball were common summertime events, starting with the Annual Mother’s Day Picnic at the Enrieu Family Farm, where everything began. I learned to cook from my many Italian relatives, but spent the most time in Great Aunt Louise’s kitchen, watching, helping and asking lots of questions about the food and family she fed.

Great Aunt Louise always had a good story to tell and I delighted in spending time cooking and gossiping with her in the old farmhouse kitchen. I was fortunate that Aunt Louise lived to be over a 100 years, young – giving me lots of time with her to learn and practice our family recipes together.

Christmas Eve couldn’t come fast enough! The family would gather to share a big pot of Bagna Cauda (BAH/nyah COW/dah), dipping fresh vegetables, warm Italian bread and sipping chianti. It was a night full of love and laughter.

I am SO proud to share our family tradition with you!

Mangia!

Cassandra Birocco